Station mail-bag catcher.



Ihn-869,132.

STATION MAIL BAG CATGHER.

`APPLIOA'AIOKFILED AUG. 3, 1907..

PATENTD'DT. 22. 1902,

W. yE. BLOUNT. STATIQN MAIL BAG GATGHER.

` APPLIQATION FILED AUG. s, 1907.-

v3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

tlarney f U f Q WIT/VESSESv PATENTED OCT. 22 1907. W. E, BLOUNI'.STATION MAIL BAG .GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1907.

u1/Ji I Lv A flor/ley wALTEa EAMES BLOUN'I, or WASHINGTON; DISTRICT 01?COLUMBIA.

STATON MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

. specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22,` 1901.

.Application metingen 1907. sein No. 386.958,

T all lwhom it may concern:

Bc it known that l, 'WALTER EAMHS BLoUN'r, a.citi zen oi the UnitedStates of America, Aresiding at Wash- 'ingtou, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in 'StationMail- Bag Cat he1s, whereof the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to a inail bag or pouch catcher for use atrailway stations lor catching the bags or' pouches from rapidly movingtrains, 4as contradistinu a* u guishcd from catchers disposed In Inailcars for grabbing such ponches or bags from the stationary supports onwhich they are hung at the stations along the-routc.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus which willgradually absorb thel momentum oi the flying' bag and deliver it Wilrout injury at the station. I i

Figure l of the-accompanying drawings represents a perspective View ofone form' of tnismail bag catcher and a inail car in the act ofdelivering a mail bag thereto'. Fig.- 2 represents on a small scale atop plan view of catcher and the car delivering device about' to delivera bag thereto. Fig. S'represents also on a similar scale a frontelevation of a catcher showing the course along 'the catcher of bags of'different weights or bags delivered at different speeds.. Fig. 4represents a plan of a rcversible mail bag catcher 'embodying thisinvention and adapted for single track railroads; being adjustable todifferent positions for catchipg bags delivered from trains moving ineither direction. Fig. 5 represe'fgs `a side elevation of areversiblecatcher. s Fig. 6 repre` sents an enlarged'horizontal sectionof the swivel joint of a reversible catcher. Fig. 7 represents a sideelevation o f a reversible catcher.- F ig. ..8 represents a hor'izontalsection of a buler vin' the form of a volute scroll .affordingl a pathfor the bag of more than a complete circle. 5

` This station mail bag catcher :comprisespin the form hereinillustrated, a platform or base 10 onto which the 1r ail' bag isVfinally delivered, a post or other suitable support 20 and a buffer 30secured to said support and adaptedto catch the bag from the deliveryapparatus on the car and discharge it in a' quiescent state withoixtinjury onto said platform.

The base .l0 may be in the form of a metallic platese cured tothestatien platform orto sills anchored in the groundilear the station.

The post 2() is preferably'cons'tructed of tWovT-shaped steel barsbolted together head-on, said bars being .iirmly secured tothe base 10and provided vwith truss rods-21, or other suitable-bracings.

' VThe buffer 30 has aconcaveif/ace .31,- preierably disposedvertically, `against which 'tl 1el bags roll or slide afterdelivery fromthe car. This active concave face' iszso sliapedss to'present agradually increasing retherefrom L y gravity to the platform or base10.` The sistance to the motion ofthe bag and isof such length as tocompletely absorb, or nearly so, the momentum.

thereof.. The resistance face ofthe buffer is preferably "in the form of-a volute c urve having its end 31- of greater radius projectedl in thepath of the'bag to be caught, and provided at its endet smallerradiuswith a vertical pocket 32 formed by the inner arc of the curve.This pocket constitutes a'stop for the bag which drops buffer ispreferably provided on its lower 'edge with a guide llange 33 which ispreferably inclined down*- ward toward the point of delivery, and mayextend from the' receiving end 31 to the pocket 32. This flange isdesigned t'o support and guide to the proper delivery mentuin and 'thebuffer. is preferably of greater depth at its delivery' end to permitthe gradual fall of the i lighter bags during their passage along thecurved face of the buffer. The 'buffer is constructed of steel or other'suitable material and is providedwithsuitable strengthening means, iorinstance with ribs 34 disposed on the back thereof.

The connecting mechanism between the-buffer 30 and its support 20 ispreferably suchas to 'permit a vertical adjustment thereof and also' ahorizontal adjustment toward and from the 'railwaytrack 'The means shownfor this 'purpose Acomprises one o i'- more looped straps 22, the loopedends of which are adapted to' slide on the post 20, said loops beinglprovided with set screws or bolts 25 which engage the post or holestherein.

The butter is provided at its back with steel straps asu35 which are'secured to the looped straps22 by meanszof bolts 26 or other means.AOne set ofstraps is provided with slots 36 vwhich permit the horizontaladjustment .of the buffer for the purpose aforesaid.

force o fthe heaviest bagsat the .highest momentuim 95 The means shownfor this' purpose comprise inFigs. 1,

.2 and 3 a stationary brace 40, preferably of triangular shape, havingits broad end secured toisaid lbuffe'r at the bach thereof and its apexanchored to the eartlI. The mail car. is provided with"a vsu ita b 1edelivery v100 device for delivering thefbag from the moving train 'tothe buffer 30. This delivery device-maybe'ofany suitable constructionadapteid for this purpose. -inthe .form shown 'it comprises aswiyeled'horizontsl delivery arm 'attached.and{ braced tp a postfljurnaled -in 105, supports 52 and 53 -in the door way ofthema'il carand provided at its' outer end with a. spring clamp 54 orl other meansfor holding the mail bag hanger and permitting it' to slide off the endof said arm. The armjz isswung into the car when not in use and isswungfitlQ outward and projedts laterally from the car for deliversfo il vpoint bags of, less 'than the maximum weight or mo- Theldeiivery armis preferably so disposed as to avoid interference with a catcher GOfortaking .bags aboard the car from stations along theroute.

.A mail bag catcher for stations made reversible to 5 adapt it for usefor catching bags from trains in either of two directions, isillustrated in Figs. 3, Il, 5 and 6. In this vcase a buffer 70 havinga-eurved volute concave resistance face 7l, similar to the face 3l oithe I buffer 30, is'provided atits pocket end on its outer l 'face witha disk 72 which is' preferably integral with the buffer. This disk isprovided with a central pivot socket 73 and with locking holes 74 and 75. An angle iron bar 80 is adjustably connected by bolts with an eye bar22 adjustable on the post 10 and is provided at l disk 72 of the buffer70. is adapted to turn.l The iXed disk 81 isA provided with a pivot studS2 which engages the piv'ot sock'et 7i? of said swiv'eled disk 72,andu'ith i .a hole 83., A locking-pin 84 is held in hole 83 by means 0ia spring 85. A circular'fianged ring 86 preferably composed of twosections'connected by a hinge 87 and provided with a locking device 88is designed to fit around the outer edges oi the disks 72 and Sl7 andhold them firmly against straps and` permit one to turn on the other.

The buffer 70 is adjusted to take mail from a train passing from left torig-lit when' in the position shown `in fully lines in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.it may be reversed to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 so asto ing out the locking pin 84 irom the hole 75 so as to re- .lease theswivel disk 72 and then turning said disk until the hole 74registerswith the hole 83 in the lixed disk 72. Then the locking pin Si springsinto the hole 74 and locks the bufferq70 in this position. To readjustthe buffer 70 tothe position shown in full lines in Figs. l to 4, thespring .pin is again released and the disk is turned back. Thus thebuffer may be easily and quickly reversed byan unskilled attendant.

The reversible buffer 70 is broadened vertically in both upward .anddownward directions from its tal;- ing-oniend to its delivery end, andis provided with fianges 76 and 77 at both its edges so that the bufferwill have a guide for light weight bags when it is in either position.Separate braces are provided for the reversible buffer, these bracesbeing disposed at proper distances therefrom, and being preferablyadjustable into and out oi operative position. 'l Any suitable bracesfor this purpose may be employed. `I`"The braces shown in Fig. 4 areadjustable into and out of operative position. A post 90 frmly set andbraced is disposed at a proper distance at the left of the reversiblebuffer and a similarpost 100 is disposed at the right of said reyersiblebuffer.' A brace 9i, preferably oi triangular form, is hinged to swinghorizontally on the post 90 and is udapted'to engage the back of thebuffer 'T0 when thelatteriis adjusted in dotted line position forcatching bags from'a -train moving from right Ate left and is swung atright anglesto disengage said buffer. A similar triangular biaep' lOl ispivoted to the post l0() and also adapted to swing at right angles. Thisbrace when in holding position is swung against a lug 7S on back of thebuffer 70 and held there in locking position by a spring 79 attached tosaid buffer. l Y

65 Thefl operation will now be described. The catcher its outer end witha disk 8l against which the swivelcd l take mail from trainsvpassingfrom right to left, by pull-- 30 or the reversible catcher 70, whicheveris employed, is adjusted into proper position with reference to the pathoi the moving mail bag to be delivered. Before the train reaches thestation where the delivery is to be made the mail clerk ha ngs the mailbag. or pouch il() to be delivcred'on the outer end of the delivery arm50,. The ordinary mail pouches are provided with metal eyes lil and i12respectively at their top andbottom andto facilitate the delivery bythis mechanism there should be added to these metal eyes swivel sockets113 and ilfl respectively to permit the bag to'turn or roll freely. Thearm 50 on which the bag is hung by its swivel eye is swung outward intothe position shown in Figs. l and Ll, and the bag is then in position toengage the outer end of the buffer 30 or 70, the case may be.' 80 As themail car passes the buffer the delivery arm 50 carrying the bag passesover the topof the buffer and the bag comes in contactat the outer endof the buffer with the concave face thereof7 which diverts the bag andstrips it off the end of said arm. The curvature of said face graduallyincreasing in intensity affords a gradually increased resistance whichabsorbs or overcomes the momentum of the bag.v The bag passes alongAthis curved surface until it reaches the inner or pocket i end thereofwhere it is finally arrested in its motion and 9( permitted to drop bygravity onto the platform. The gradual resistance offered to the forceof the bag arrests the movement thereof without shock or impact andwithout injury to the bag; I

in Fig. 8 the buffer is in the form of a volute scroll 95 involving morethan one completo turn and affording a long curi ed resistance face forthe traverse of the bags disposed in a compact space. ln this case theflange at the bottom of the buffer is preferably dispcnset'l with so asto leave the bags free to drop by gravity at any point where themomentum thereof becomes exhausted.

The volute wall where it doubles on itself is so arranged as toaffordample space for the passage of the bags in any form, This buffer isespecially weil adapted to a wide range of bags of different sizesdelivered at diffcrent speeds and it occupies a comparatively smallspace at the station.

The buffer has preferably a maximum capacity for absorbing the momentumand arrestingjthe motion of a bag of 200 pounds weight traveling at laspeed of sixty miles an hour. The same apparatus will with equalfacility arrest the motion of bags of. less weight or niomentum.

The buffer, which is preferably volute, has a backward or return bend,and when rolled in upon itself so ll 5 as to describe one or morecomplete and overlapping turns, it affords suflicient resistance ,withina compact space to overcolne the momentum of bags of various weightsdelivered at various velocities; and the buffer being disposedinvcrtical or substantially' vertical posil2() tion, gravity ispermitted to act upon the bag to discharge it wherever its momentumbecomes exhausted at any point along the face of the buffer, if thebottom fianges be omitted.

Two classes of receptacles are now commonly used for inclosing mailmatter, those called pouches for first class matter and those calledbags for second and third class mattei: The bags are not now providedwith eyes or handles and have not heretofore .been takenfon or deliveredon thev fly` These bags for the purposes o'f 130 lBisogna For generalpurposes of this specification Words bag and pouch may be consideredasequivalentsA of each other.

I claimas my invcntionz-y .1. A mail bag' catcher provided vwith acurved buteriace having` a gradally increased` resistance which' extendsthrough n path adapted io' absorblthe entire momentum of y the bag. A i

'2. A mail bag catcher having a resistnnce'face in *the forin'of avolute crve for engaging thefying bag. l 3. A mail bag catcher havingacurved face'of continuously Vincreasing resistance und a deliverypocketat the' inner end of said face. ,I i Y 41. A mail bag catcher havingacontlnuouscnrved face or' increasing resistance, adelivervpok'et at theinner endif ofsaid curve, and n guide flange at thelovver end'of 'saidface,

ous'ly increasing-resistance, a delivery pocket at the inner` end ofsnidface, a'nd a guide flange inclined toward said pocket. i I G. Amailbag-catcher lcomprising'a -r'eversible .buer having a 'returmcurvebag-.arresting face-of increasing re .sistatnce.

7. The combination of :1 -mail bag 'catcher cognprising'a' bufferhavingfa concave' ltragarresting face vof increasing resistance, "andmeans for 'adjnst'ing4 said buffer vertically.

8. Thecomhinationj of a Inail bag catcher comprising a .buffer having aconcave bagarrestingface of increasingref sistnnce,l and .mea-nsfoadjusting said buffer horizontally.

' 9.- The combination o f a mail bagcatcher comprising a Dulfer having aconcave bagarresting ,face "ci increasing re.

sistance, and means horizontally.

10. Thecombifnation of a mail bag catcher comprising a Duffel-havingaconcave face embracing zi-'back'vard curve for' adjusting vsaid-loujier vertically and of inrrcnsln'gf'resistance and' means fr'bracing 'said buffer.`

1l. A `inail bag' catcher comprising a 4reversiblebuie!" having :1volute resistance face and guide an'gesatits,

upper :md ,lower edges;

clined in opposite directions,

13. The combination of a buffer having a volute resist- 12. A mail bagcatcher comprising a reversibiezbuier vhaving a volute resistanceface.and guide anges at its said iianges Ming inupper and lower edgesrespectively;-

ance face for overcoming the force of flying' bags delivered thereonto,means to 'permit the 'reversal of said buffer to engage bags deliveredin either a curve of gradually decreased radins.

cavo face of gradually increased resistancgand including a backwardbend.

1G..A mailbag catchercomprising fa huier having a concave face ofgradually increased resistance including a'l return lbend. I

direction and adjustable, braces for holding saidhuier in eitherposition.

14; A mail-bag catcher provided witli a buffer-face adopted for thebodily contact of the-hag, said face having 17g A mailfbag catcherhavingaiesistance.'facein'the form o avolute curve involvinga full turn.'v

18'. A xnnil-bag catcherhavinga resistance face in the I form of a'volute curve involving a pluralitycf turns. A A mail-bag catcherhaving.;l -a curved facepf continu- -19. 'A mail-bag' catcher having. avertical buffer-face disposed inv` a volute scroll .andadapt'ed toabsorhthe m0- mentnm'of the bag'.

20. 'A' mailfbagcatchei' having a vertical resistnnceface disposcdiina'volutescroll and provided at .its inner end' with a vvertical pocket.21. A mailbag catcher vcnnprising 'a reversible buffer having a voluteresistancerfface.

V22.l A .niail-bag catcher having a curved resistance face whichdescribes nn o've rlapping`ft urn adapted to absorb momentum of bags ofvarious weights and-various velocities, said resistance' facebeing-disposed in substantially vertical position, whereby the bag isdischarged by` gravity Aat any pointjof said face where its.mornentumbecomes1ex hansted.

23. A' mail-'bagl catcher provided ywith. a vcurved buffer face adapted"for the bodily traverse of the bag, theresisb' ance of said faceincreasing in intensity from-the point of Contactof the bag to, thepoint of delivery thereof.' l l WALTER EAMES BLOUNT.

' Witnesses :4

F. C'. SoMns,

RAYMOND F. BARNES.

